Teenage girls flock to tennis inspired by UK stars' success

Laura Robson and Heather Watson bring record numbers of young women to the sport

Laura Robson returns a shot to Chinese Taipei's Su-Wei Hsieh during the women's final at the Guangzhou Open WTA tournament in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province 0n 22 September Photograph: Lu Hanxin/Xinhua Press/Corbis

Saturday 13 October 2012 19.07 EDT
First published on Saturday 13 October 2012 19.07 EDT

Britain's top female tennis players – 18-year-old Laura Robson and 20-year-old Heather Watson – have stormed up the rankings this year and all the attention is giving a huge boost to girls' tennis across the UK.

Watson has reached today's final of the Japan Open, just three weeks after Robson became the first British woman to reach a WTA singles final since 1990.

Latest figures show almost 100,000 under-18s play at a Lawn Tennis Association registered club or are members of British tennis, the LTA's main membership scheme. This is up more than 17% on last year. A record number of teams will take part in the Aegon Team Tennis Schools Senior competition this month. Entry is up 33% on last year and around 1,500 students will compete. Britain's 14U girls' team won the Tennis Europe Summer Cup earlier this year for the first time, beating Germany in the final.

University tennis is also more popular than ever with the first British Universities and Colleges Sport matches beginning last week – and the number of women's teams taking part leapt 14% on 2011. British tennis authorities credit the successes of Robson and Watson in firing female interest in a sport which has been largely male-dominated across all abilities. Robson narrowly lost in the quarter-finals in Osaka last week, while Watson won her semi-final against home favourite Misaki Doi in straight sets.

Watson's achievement comes just three weeks after Robson became the first British woman to reach a WTA singles final since Jo Durie in 1990.

Their success comes towards the end of a season in which Robson also won Olympic silver in the mixed doubles with Andy Murray.

Mixed doubles entries to the national schools tournament rose by 27%, reflecting the promotion the LTA carried out following London 2012. Robson went on to have her best major performance in a grand slam event, reaching the fourth round at the US Open. Watson, meanwhile, had her best Wimbledon to date, losing in the third round, and will also end the year having played at all four grand slam tournaments. Victory in Japan would put Watson close to joining Robson in the top 50.

Former British No 1 Jeremy Bates sees no reason why the pair could not soon break into the top 20 and, like Murray, be challenging for major honours. He said it was important they both continued to do well to encourage other girls. "The more publicity and exposure Laura and Heather get will prove inspirational. Andy has had a big effect but the girls are ramping it up to another level."

A spokesman for the LTA, Britain's governing body, said it was important to show professionals enjoying themselves off the court too. Mat Dunkley, head of performance at Riverside Tennis Club in Bedford, said interest in the sport was at a record level. "Murray has obviously been a big factor but now that Laura and Heather are doing so well, we're expecting to see a huge boost in numbers of girls taking up tennis. Girls haven't had superstars to look up to in the same way the boys have with Murray, Henman and Rusedski over the years. But the way Robson and Watson are playing, we're all expecting them to win tournaments."Bates, who coaches British number three Anne Keovathong, added: "Heather and Laura have been inspired by Anne and Bally [Elena Baltacha], who have both been in the top 50. Now they can go further and likewise inspire the next generation."

Roger Draper, LTA chief executive, said: "I know from speaking to Laura and Heather how passionate they are about getting more young girls into tennis. They play with a smile on their face and that enjoyment also comes through in what they do off the court. When we want girls to see tennis as a fun, social sport, what better advert for that than them?"